Shakespeare's Roman plays and their background

The author treats Shakespeare's Roman plays as a distinctive group, tracing their methods, antecedents, and sources. He surveys earlier Roman drama in Latin, French, and English, analyzes the role of Plutarch and his Renaissance translations, and assesses intermediaries such as Amyot and North as transmitters of material and phrasing. Close readings relate each play to its sources and dramatic parallels, while discussions of scholarship, translation history, and critical reception explain contested attributions and gaps in evidence. The book balances literary analysis with source criticism to map the plays' background and formation.